Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-07-05

The Hearing In tine CaSe - the Two
Guidcs-M11ss Thorn Corrob0sUtes
Miss Wakefield.

The Hearing IN the Case - the Two
Guidcs-N11ss Thorn Corrsbofuses
Miss Wakef1elA.
Sergeant-at-Arms Leedom and Architect Carr,
Of the Capitol police board, this afternoon re-
stunned the hearing In the case OF Neesrs Popham
and Boden, Capitol guides, charged with having
fnsulted two young ladies on the 18th Of June.
Last Saturday the board heard the statement OF
Miss Blanche Wakefield, one of the young ladies.
STATEMENT OF MISS rHoxSx.
To-day Miss Minnie Thorne, the other young
lady, accompanied By her father, appeared before
the board. She said that on the day mentioned
when within the building Mr.. Boden approached,
saying ne was an authorized guide, and asking II
they wanted to be shown through the building.
several points Of interest, they were joined by Mr.
Popham; that Boden introduced Pophan TO
ropham e essortng Mss wase
field and Boden Miss Thorne; that after awhile
the tn couples got separated. and Miss Thorne says
be the newlycut elevator shaft ON the south side,
BOden threw his arms around her
AND KISSED HER.
She says she drew away from him. informing him
that she did not submit to such indignities; that
he asked her IL she allowed the country boys of
she d e ana s to
body She said that soon after the other couple ap
peared, and, after going to several places, she
out Of the building Miss waSeiieid told her She
had been kissed by Popham, the guide who es-
corted her, and that she Miss Thorn told what
WHY SIZE SIGNED THE CONTRADICTION.
Miss Thorn had never been in the Capitol but
once prior to her visit that day, so she could not
locate the points she undertook to describe. She
admitted having signed the contradiction In de-
tense OF the guides recently published In this city.
but declared that she did not understand 1t
drove to her home in Maryland and Popham
entered the house saying he had a
pce rG she %as sa
OF being summoned here, and with the view OF
suIpressing the scandal. She signed the contra.
said that Popham wrote the statement,
and she affixed her own and her mothers
signatures She declared that in all her inter
course with POpham at the Capitol he treated her
very respectfully and courteously, and that she
meant more to vindicate him in signing the con-
tradictton than anything else.
SHE KEPT IT SECRET.
She said that she kept the afIront offered her a
secret from her parents until after It became pub
lie; that she feared her parents might reproach
her, and that had the matter not got out other
wise she intended to keep it a secret; that after
the publication she told her parents all about it.
MR.. BODEN DENIES.
Mr. Boden denied emphattcally that he had Of
fered any indignity to Miss Thorn.
Mr.. POphan said he was requested by Mrs. and
Miss Thorn to write the statement for those Sig
natures, and this Miss Thorn virtually admitted.
She said that soon after being kissed
she was Joined by Miss Wakefield, and adj
mttted that after that occurrence they went
with the guides to several places within the Capt.
tol, but added that they left in short time. Miss
Thorn adhered to the main features OF her ac-
count affirming that she was telling the truth.
She had no motive now, she said, for concealing
the matter
In reply to questions put by Mr.. Popham she ad-
mitted having willingly signed the contradiction
but said that IL all OF 1t was then read to her she
did not understand it. She declared that at the
time she pointed out that the clause alleging that
she and Miss Wakefield were never separated I'm
the Capital was not true as they were separated
several times.
TO HELP HER COMPANION.
Mr.. Popham stated to the board that Mr.. Thorn,
father CT Miss Minnie confessed to him to-day that
| the young lady had been appealed to to help her
friend Miss Wakefield) out of her trouble, and
that against his (the father'S wishes she would
have to sustain Miss Wakefield
Mr.. Thorn Indignantly having made any such
statement. In behalf OF Mr.. POpham
Mr.. kennedy, another Capitol guide, Mr.. Talia-
ferrO, an emplOye Of the Supreme Court, and Mr..
Morrison, OF the Congressional Library, testified
that they had seen the young ladies with the
guides, and that there was no opportunity for
such an occurrence as was described. The board
advised the accused guides that any other testi-
| mony they could offer tending to exculpate them
would be received.